Study and Preparation

vs Taking Action

 
 
 
 

Vocabulary

 

ready	elaborate	scale it up
put off	aim (2)	preparation
failure	endeavor	immediate
notion	order (3)	vs (versus)
follow	goal (2)	conventional
route	excessive	spend/spent/spent (2)
delay	venture	take/took/taken (2)
fear	step (2)	in other words
end up	instead	do/did/done
pursue	trigger (2)	to put it simply
pull	get off (2)	approach (2)
push	mean (3)	consultant
wise	seminar	simply put
crucial	sufficient	workshop (2)
bullet	mastery	vehicle (2)
career	apply (2)	nevertheless
avoid	fire (3)	nonetheless
gain	feasibility	formula (3)
fear	switch (2)	get out (2)
due to	explain	bottom line (2)
inertia	achieve	take action
excuse	train (2)	pay/paid/paid
lock	put to use	procrastinate
offer	perpetual	think/thought/thought (2)
untold	scale (3)	contrarian
earn	acquire	scuba diving
motto	stranger	begin/began/begun
prove	beware	good/better/best
bill (2)	for sure	know/knew/known
skill	remain	theoretical
forte	part with	voluntarily

 
 
 
 

Ready . . . Aim . . . Fire

In his book Ready, Fire, Aim, Mark Ford elaborates on the notion of excessive preparation vs. immediate action, in any endeavor in life.

He explains now many people would like to pursue some major goal or activity, such as starting a business. In doing so, they often follow the conventional route of “ready, aim, fire”.

But the problem with this is they spend so much time preparing for a new venture — the “ready” and “aim” part — that they delay (or fear) taking the most crucial step: to “fire”; in other words, actually DO the thing instead of just reading about and studying it.

Ready . . . Fire . . . Aim

Ford takes a contrarian approach by reordering the steps: Instead of “ready, aim, fire,” you should “ready, fire, aim.”

To put it simply: pull the darn trigger, sooner. For a blogger, consultant or language learner, this means don’t over-study; get off your chair and do something.

Learning is good. Smart. Wise.

But book-work (or endless seminars, workshops, CDs) alone is an insufficient vehicle in achieving mastery.

Career Learners

Nevertheless, many people end up becoming perpetual students. They avoid applying their newly gained knowledge for fear of failure (or even success).

Or they are looking for that one secret formula or magic bullet that unlocks untold riches.

Or they simply put off taking action due to inertia.

Take Action

However none of that changes the bottom: the only way to succeed is to actually get out there and take action (not ONLY study it).

Taking classes, reading, and getting training is, for many of us, quite enjoyable.

But beware of using the need to study more before you think you are ready to begin as an excuse for procrastination.

Getting your Hands Dirty

Ford says that the sooner you take what you have learned in your studies and put it to use — such as starting a business, switching careers or begin scuba diving — the better.

Because the first step to success is to prove your idea or plan actually works.

And the only way to know for sure if something works is to get yourself out there and actually DO something. Anything.

If you can get strangers to pay for your product, service, knowledge, or skill, then you have proven its feasibility. And from there, you can just scale it up.

But if you can’t get anybody to voluntarily part with their hard-earned money for what you’re offering, then you need to go back to the drawing board. You need to modify your strategy, method, tactic or product, or come up with a new one.

Then try again. And again. And again . . . until you succeed.

As the Nike motto goes: just do it (practice makes perfect).

As a side note, there’s nothing wrong with being a career student, if that’s your forte. It just doesn’t pay the bills (unless you have a rich uncle).

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

 

Questions

Store, Shop. The book Ready, Fire, Aim is about guns, target shooting and military tactics. True or false?

Restaurant. Do all people only care about their jobs and personal life?

Cafe. Who do “ready”, “aim” and “fire” refer to?

Bar. What pathway do many people follow? Is this (always) a good strategy?

Club, Disco. Why do many people only study, but never get around to doing things?

Mechanic Garage. What does the author recommend? What happens when they do this?

Delivery Services. Can you think of any examples of “ready, aim, fire” and “ready, fire, aim” in real life?

Electronics Repair Shop. Are there lots of schools, universities, books, CDs, seminars, courses, programs, consultants, speakers, workshops in your city and country on careers, business and success?

Tailor’s Shop. Is the personal-development, self-help and self-improvement industry very big? Are some books bestsellers? Are there famous “gurus” or “experts”?

Motel. I know of self-help “junkies” who like to read books, attend seminars and workshops on success and personal achievement. Yes or no? Do you know of any “career students”?

Bed and Breakfast. Who are some successful or high achievers that you know of? Do you know any entrepreneurs?

Gas Station. What is the secret to success?

Convenience Store. What might happen in the future?